What are the types of Journalists?

Political shindigs and the modern man’s insufferable obsession with politics and tragedies have reduced journalism to a pitifully parochial stereotype. 8 out of 10 think journalism is limited to hard political concerns. 

Some years ago, I was informed that some press organizations in Nagaland were talking about calling only reporters as ‘journalists’ while production personnel (management, editors and editorial personnel, layout designers, cartoonists etc) should not be called so.

My reaction was irritation: We need to do something completely different once in a while, say, look out the window and look at the world – or at least read a 100-page book at least once every 10 years. Perhaps impulsive and ill-informed interpretation overlooked one essential aspect reporting Journalists and Production Journalists share – a component in the single whole organism of the profession itself. So what of editors, for instance, who possess experience as reporters? Simple as that. Broadly, there are two classifications:

• Reporting Journalists: 
  
  Media professionals that fall within the 'Reporting Journalist' category are
  
  Reporters, 
  Correspondents,
  'Sectoral' columnists (This is a recent classification. They are normally Reporters who are tasked with specific beats such as, say, rural development related issues and so write exclusively on it)      
  
  Bureau personnel 
  Stringers
• Production Journalists: 
  Media personnel that fall within the category 'Production Journalist' are  
  
  Editors, 
  Subeditors 
  Copywriters 
  Managers/Management
  Language managers/format specialists
  Photo Editors, 
  Graphic/Layout Designers
  Webmasters, 
  Technical personnel     

There is, however, nlo hard and fast designation to them. For instance, in Asian countries Subeditors are tasked with reporting assignments as well.

Al Ngullie
The Morung Express, India

©2012 Journalism Jobs Guide
 
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